DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.636#0296
284 Death, Funeral Rites, and Ancestor-worship.
were gathered together and placed in a plain undecorated
funeral vase. This particular act, which in modern times is
generally performed on the fourth day, was called Asthi-
safic'aya, ' bone-collection/ A hole was excavated and the
vessel placed in it, while Rig-veda X. 18. 10 was repeated:
'Return to thy mother Earth, the Widely-extended, the
Broad, the Auspicious ; may she be to thee like a young
maiden, soft as wool (urna-mrada)! may she protect thee
from the embrace of the goddess of corruption!'
Then earth was scattered over the excavation, with re-
petition of the twelfth verse of the same hymn. Lastly, a
cover was placed over the vase and the hole was filled up
with earth, while the thirteenth verse was repeated : ' I raise
up the earth around thee for a support, placing this cover
on thee without causing injury. May the Fathers guard this
funeral monument for thee! May Yama establish a habitation
for thee there !'
The principal rite being thus brought to a close, the re-
lations returned home, and after performing an ablution
offered the first Sraddha to the deceased person.
I may mention here that, being one day on the Bombay
burning-ground, I was a spectator of a modern bone-gather-
ing ceremony, which had many features in common with
the ancient rite. A Brahman and five women were seated
in a semicircle round the ashes and bones of a young mar-
ried girl of low caste, whose body had recently been burnt.
Before them was an earthenware vase, and around it were
flowers, fruits, and betel-leaves. The Brahman had a metal
vase shaped something like a tumbler in his hand containing
consecrated or holy water, with a small round spoon or ladle
he took out a small portion of the water and poured it into
the hands of the woman, at the same time muttering texts
and prayers. Then he poured water into the vase, and on
the top of the water placed the fruit, flowers, and leaves.
Next, he collected the half-calcined bones, and having put
were gathered together and placed in a plain undecorated
funeral vase. This particular act, which in modern times is
generally performed on the fourth day, was called Asthi-
safic'aya, ' bone-collection/ A hole was excavated and the
vessel placed in it, while Rig-veda X. 18. 10 was repeated:
'Return to thy mother Earth, the Widely-extended, the
Broad, the Auspicious ; may she be to thee like a young
maiden, soft as wool (urna-mrada)! may she protect thee
from the embrace of the goddess of corruption!'
Then earth was scattered over the excavation, with re-
petition of the twelfth verse of the same hymn. Lastly, a
cover was placed over the vase and the hole was filled up
with earth, while the thirteenth verse was repeated : ' I raise
up the earth around thee for a support, placing this cover
on thee without causing injury. May the Fathers guard this
funeral monument for thee! May Yama establish a habitation
for thee there !'
The principal rite being thus brought to a close, the re-
lations returned home, and after performing an ablution
offered the first Sraddha to the deceased person.
I may mention here that, being one day on the Bombay
burning-ground, I was a spectator of a modern bone-gather-
ing ceremony, which had many features in common with
the ancient rite. A Brahman and five women were seated
in a semicircle round the ashes and bones of a young mar-
ried girl of low caste, whose body had recently been burnt.
Before them was an earthenware vase, and around it were
flowers, fruits, and betel-leaves. The Brahman had a metal
vase shaped something like a tumbler in his hand containing
consecrated or holy water, with a small round spoon or ladle
he took out a small portion of the water and poured it into
the hands of the woman, at the same time muttering texts
and prayers. Then he poured water into the vase, and on
the top of the water placed the fruit, flowers, and leaves.
Next, he collected the half-calcined bones, and having put